The mobile learning lab had a lot of tools that didn't quite fit into my classroom. I have 3rd and 4th grade students in a small charter school, and as far as I am aware, none of my students have cell phones. We do have a few IPAD's in our school and my students use frequently, so I decided to focus this lab on IPAD's in my classroom. In the past, I have always used the apps that were already on the IPAD's. However, thanks to this website, https://teacher.ocps.net/groups/ipodsintheclassroom/, I found many IPAD's that fit my curriculum than the apps we already had loaded.
An example of an app I have downloaded to fit my curriculum, GeoMasters USA, https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/geomaster-us-states/id335552646?mt=8#, fits my curriculum very well and will be used regularly in my classroom!
I was interested to hear that there are cell phone companies that donate old cell phones to schools. I was not able to look into this yet, but I think this would be a good solution to having a younger class who doesn't have personal cell phones yet.
I also joined a classroom2.0 network and specifically the mobile phones in education group. I didn't know this group existed until today, amand rather excited to see what all this site has to offer.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
WPP PART C - Implementation
Link to Podcast discussing the implementation of Raz-kids in my classroom: http://msu.edu/~teusche2/Razkids.mp3
Monday, October 22, 2012
PART B - Storyboard and Script
Here is a link to my group's storyboard and script for teaching weebly: https://www.dropbox.com/s/
My part of the final project is doing the slides on page 5 of the document. It includes teaching the design, editors, and social media buttons. I also have been setting up the website preparing for to put our jings on it. I created a google form to act as feedback regarding our website.
Each member of the group is using jing to teach their part of weebly. We met as a group to discuss who was doing what part, then we met as a group again to review out storyboards and scripts. You can view our ongoing brainstorming document that shows who is doing what at the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16bYIg1W8nlp3uGfBTL6Xkt56Fk-CVfdmpDWJQ7grqAc/edit
Here is part of that document that says who will be teaching what parts of weebly:
1. Karla:adding blog and new pages
2. Trista: Set up Weebly site for group use, design, editors, social media links
3. Jennifer: Basic inserting text, pictures, embedding custom HTML (wordles, glogster)
4. Johanna: Multimedia feature
5. Xiaochen:content and how to publish it and settings, how to register
Going forward, each group member has their storyboard complete for their portions. We will use jing to upload short videos to teach weebly on our weebly site. We will all take part in altering the website as needed and uploading our own videos. If anybody runs into any problems, we will contact each other to find a solution.
I am looking forward to seeing our final weebly site! Our group has worked very hard and good together, so I have high expectations for our final project.
My part of the final project is doing the slides on page 5 of the document. It includes teaching the design, editors, and social media buttons. I also have been setting up the website preparing for to put our jings on it. I created a google form to act as feedback regarding our website.
Each member of the group is using jing to teach their part of weebly. We met as a group to discuss who was doing what part, then we met as a group again to review out storyboards and scripts. You can view our ongoing brainstorming document that shows who is doing what at the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16bYIg1W8nlp3uGfBTL6Xkt56Fk-CVfdmpDWJQ7grqAc/edit
Here is part of that document that says who will be teaching what parts of weebly:
1. Karla:adding blog and new pages
2. Trista: Set up Weebly site for group use, design, editors, social media links
3. Jennifer: Basic inserting text, pictures, embedding custom HTML (wordles, glogster)
4. Johanna: Multimedia feature
5. Xiaochen:content and how to publish it and settings, how to register
Going forward, each group member has their storyboard complete for their portions. We will use jing to upload short videos to teach weebly on our weebly site. We will all take part in altering the website as needed and uploading our own videos. If anybody runs into any problems, we will contact each other to find a solution.
I am looking forward to seeing our final weebly site! Our group has worked very hard and good together, so I have high expectations for our final project.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
PART B - Application of TPACK
What is the TP knowledge for the solution?
(i.e., how does the technology you have chosen support the teaching strategies
and methods you have chosen?)
Raz-kids
differentiates instruction to meet the individual needs of each student. My
goal is to get appropriate reading level books in the hands (or eyes) of my
students. Using technology, I am able to do this through the Raz-kids program.
The teaching strategies I have chosen is that students listen to books,
practice reading them, take comprehension quizzes, and record their own voice
while reading. Raz-kids supports all of these, while motivate the students to
continue on by offering raz rockets points for the students to purchase items
in the store for their own rockets.
What is the TC knowledge for the solution?
(i.e., how specifically does this technology make the content in your problem
more intellectually accessible? Be sure to think about representation.)
Raz-kids makes the content of my problem more accessible by
providing a “one shop stop” to meet all of the teaching strategies I mentioned
above. The problems we had in the classroom ranged from not having books at the
needed reading levels, students not knowing which books were appropriate for
them, the temptation to talk to their friends, and simply were not motivated to
read. Once enrolled in Raz-kids, the students are placed at a reading level by
the teacher and offered many books at that reading level that need to be
listened to, read silently, read aloud, and quizzed on before they can move onto the next reading
level. Students are encouraged through the raz-rocket to get as much done as
possible. My goal is that students read to become better readers, as research
as proven that the best way to become better readers is to practice. Raz-kids
offers a great technological alternative to silent reading time.
What is the PC knowledge for the solution?
(i.e., how specifically do your pedagogical choices make the content in your
problem more intellectually accessible?)
Matthew
Koehler wrote, “At the heart of PCK is the manner in which subject
matter is transformed for teaching. This occurs when the teacher interprets the
subject matter, finding different ways to represent it and make it accessible
to learners.” Which is found on the www.tpck.org
website.
In this case, reading is the subject
matter. I’ve already discussed that to become better at something, it takes
practice. Adding in this information, practicing reading in different ways and
making it accessible to learners should make them better readers. My students have
had books in the classroom, we visit the library regularly, I read aloud to
them; in other words they have experience with physical books in multiple ways.
I am adding a new way for reading to be represented to them and making it
accessible through technology in a program called Raz-kids which is a product
of learning A-Z of Cambium Learning (http://www.learninga-z.com/). Students will have plenty of opportunity
through Raz-kids to read a large number of books that are appropriate to their
reading level and are designed to increase their reading ability, and using a
positive motivation technique (raz-rocket) perfect for the elementary age
group.
I look forward to the impact Raz-kids will have in my classroom. Stay tuned for details!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
PART A - Description of need or opportunity
Well, in education changes happen regularly depending on the needs of the students. In my case, the need I discussed originally for PART A of my Wicked Problem Project has been addressed by the school. Good thing, but I need to regroup and start over with a new wicked problem.
So, here it is!
The educational need in my classroom is a way to monitor student progress in reading, access to the correct level reading texts, and a way for students to record their own reading with as little transition as possible. I give my students 30 minutes of independent reading time. I have noticed in this time that students have difficulty picking out books, rarely finish a complete book, grab books that are too difficult for themselves, spend too much time finding a book, and of course the temptation to sit next to or talk to their buddies is always there. This has become an unproductive chunk of time that has strayed away from my original intent. My goal is to find a technological program that allows me to monitor students progress, choose a reading level for them to start at based of the DRA or NWEA scores, and also allows an opportunity for them to record their reading for my running record review.
I plan to address this issue with technology by enrolling my students in a program called raz-kids. (www.raz-kids.com) Students will be given their own individual login which is already set up at their designated reading level. Students will be given a tutorial of how to use raz-kids and the expectations for this program. We will be replacing out 30 minutes daily of independent reading time with 30 minutes of Raz-kids time in either the computer lab or on the netbook computers in the classroom. I will be able to track the students progress, see anytime they do something (listen, read, or record a story), view their quiz scores, complete a running record on their recordings, view minutes logged on, and I can always manually move them up or down on the reading levels based on observations or other assessments I make. Otherwise, the students will move up to the next reading level when they have completed all of the parts of the reading level they begin on.
The cost for the program is $90 for a one year subscription. I receive a $100 allowance each semester from our parent organization that I am using to fund this program. My hopes are that it successfully engages the students for a chunk of time daily and that the students reading levels will increase at a steady rate.
The scope of the project: Students will use Raz-kids daily from 2:35-3:00, replacing the independent reading time. The students will be either in the computer lab or using netbook computers in the classroom. There is an app available, which means the programs can be downloaded onto the schools iPad's as well.
Research indicates that students need practice reading in order to become better readers. My goal is that students will spend more time engaged in reading using Raz-kids as opposed to their countless minutes selected a book to read, changing books, finding a spot to sit, etc. http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/in_read1.html
Indicators of a successful project:
My observable data will be a short term indicator of success. Are the students more engaged with the Raz-kids reading then they were independent reading?
A longer term indicator of success is the student's actual reading scores. Students are tested on the reading levels using the DRA at the beginning and end of the year. Students are also tested using the NWEA test at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. Are the students showing an upward trend in the reading levels?
Another indicator is my own observation of students individually. Listening to them read and listening to their recorded books. I will make observations of whether this program is benefitting them or not.
Wish me luck as I begin this new technological project of meeting the diverse reading needs of my students using Raz-kids.
So, here it is!
The educational need in my classroom is a way to monitor student progress in reading, access to the correct level reading texts, and a way for students to record their own reading with as little transition as possible. I give my students 30 minutes of independent reading time. I have noticed in this time that students have difficulty picking out books, rarely finish a complete book, grab books that are too difficult for themselves, spend too much time finding a book, and of course the temptation to sit next to or talk to their buddies is always there. This has become an unproductive chunk of time that has strayed away from my original intent. My goal is to find a technological program that allows me to monitor students progress, choose a reading level for them to start at based of the DRA or NWEA scores, and also allows an opportunity for them to record their reading for my running record review.
I plan to address this issue with technology by enrolling my students in a program called raz-kids. (www.raz-kids.com) Students will be given their own individual login which is already set up at their designated reading level. Students will be given a tutorial of how to use raz-kids and the expectations for this program. We will be replacing out 30 minutes daily of independent reading time with 30 minutes of Raz-kids time in either the computer lab or on the netbook computers in the classroom. I will be able to track the students progress, see anytime they do something (listen, read, or record a story), view their quiz scores, complete a running record on their recordings, view minutes logged on, and I can always manually move them up or down on the reading levels based on observations or other assessments I make. Otherwise, the students will move up to the next reading level when they have completed all of the parts of the reading level they begin on.
The cost for the program is $90 for a one year subscription. I receive a $100 allowance each semester from our parent organization that I am using to fund this program. My hopes are that it successfully engages the students for a chunk of time daily and that the students reading levels will increase at a steady rate.
The scope of the project: Students will use Raz-kids daily from 2:35-3:00, replacing the independent reading time. The students will be either in the computer lab or using netbook computers in the classroom. There is an app available, which means the programs can be downloaded onto the schools iPad's as well.
Research indicates that students need practice reading in order to become better readers. My goal is that students will spend more time engaged in reading using Raz-kids as opposed to their countless minutes selected a book to read, changing books, finding a spot to sit, etc. http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/in_read1.html
Indicators of a successful project:
My observable data will be a short term indicator of success. Are the students more engaged with the Raz-kids reading then they were independent reading?
A longer term indicator of success is the student's actual reading scores. Students are tested on the reading levels using the DRA at the beginning and end of the year. Students are also tested using the NWEA test at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. Are the students showing an upward trend in the reading levels?
Another indicator is my own observation of students individually. Listening to them read and listening to their recorded books. I will make observations of whether this program is benefitting them or not.
Wish me luck as I begin this new technological project of meeting the diverse reading needs of my students using Raz-kids.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
MACUL Tips and Tricks Post
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